Though I really love beans, I've never been a big fan of chickpeas. They seem to lack the smooth, creamy texture that I associate with other beans. Still, I usually have a can of chickpeas in the cupboard so I can whip up some bean dip when the mood strikes. But I tend to skip over recipes that use whole chickpeas.
The chosen recipe for Curry Palooza this month -- Chickpeas in a Spicy Tomato Gravy (Masaledar Chholay) -- forced me to give chickpeas another chance. Now I can't wait to make another batch of these spicy and delicious chickpeas.
I thought I might not have time for Curry Palooza this month, but when I found myself hungry for a hot, satisfying lunch earlier this week, I took a look at the recipe, realized it was a quick dish built around pantry staples, and decided to give it a go. I put on a pot of basmati rice and started on the recipe. Thirty minutes later, I sat down to a bowl of Indian style rice and beans that won me over.
The recipe was featured in the March 2011 issue of Food & Wine, and it's available online here. Because I had no fresh jalapenos on hand, I used canned chipotles in adobo sauce instead. I served the chickpeas over basmati rice with a generous dollop of sour cream. I really loved the smoky heat from the chipotles and will definitely repeat the variation next time. I've already restocked the cupboard with another can of chickpeas.
Curry Palooza is a monthly blogging event with the goal to explore Indian cooking. You can check out how my partners in Curry Palooza put their own spin on the chickpeas by clicking the links below.
